Recovering from mastectomy - what should I expect?

Well done YOU!!  Take it easy over the next couple of days tho, @Skinnylatte  - let your family & friends spoil you .... it takes a while to get the anaesthetic out of your system & bumps (in the road aren't good - so whoever is driving make them aware that bumps aren't good!!) 

Make haste slowly xxx  All the best & good luck for the pathology!

Well, job done,  awake,  so far so good,  and BC nurse  has already been.  Feeling very supported,  and positive.  And doing my exercises already  ;)

@Skinnylatte 
Hope all goes well for you :*  

Hi @Skinnylatte  ditto with what the others have said.  I had single Mx and found it was quite okay pain wise. I initially had lumpectomy and Aux nodes removed and found that harder than Mx due to cording.   Good luck with everything and keep up the exercises religiously. You'll be fine you've got this.   Big hugs . xo

All the best @Skinnylatte  - hoping all goes smoothly for you xxxx

Hi @Skinnylatte  I agree with all the above. I had single mastectomy, anx clearance and no recon. Only pain I had was the drain tube for nodes was in a funny spot and I had a burning sensation. I didn’t have anything stronger than panadol. Full arm movement for me in two weeks but exhausted for much longer. Best wishes and prayers for today. Big hugs. xxx

I had single mastectomy with node clearance on a Monday and was home on the Wednesday afternoon. Nurses came round each day to check my wound and the drain and that came out on Saturday. Was off work for 3 weeks but I have quite a physical job. Took awhile to get the stretching back in my arm but back to normal now a year later. Keep an eye out for lymphodema and cording. I didn’t find it that painful. Like others I found it hard to get comfortable to sleep as I was worried about the drain and where the cat was but the little zonta pillow was great. Used it in the car when I went out to put between wound and the seatbelt too. Good luck and big hugs xoxoox

Hey there I had single mastectomy and node biopsy in November.  Went home day 3 and was just on panadol by then, the worst part was getting comfortable to sleep.  As the other ladies have suggested keep on top of the pain and do the exercises to the later.  Once I had the drain out after a week I really had no issues at all other than the mental exhaustion.  Hope all goes well for you tomorrow xx

Hi there. I had a single mastectomy, axillary clearance,  no reconstruction. Out of hospital the 4th day, drains had already stopped draining so were removed before I left. Staff were solicitous to a fault about pain relief, but I had really none. Took no painkillers after the first night. I had excellent mobility and very little discomfort - apart from getting used to a soft pad with a tendency to rise every time I bent over! I was advised to expect two weeks off work, but went back after one week additional to the days in hospital. Here's wishing you an equally straightforward and painless procedure. Best wishes.

Hi there @Skinnylatte, as others have said, each person is different. People differ as regards to pain, perception of pain, expectation of pain and how they deal with it. I had a bilateral mastectomy with node clearance on the left and sentinal node on the right. No reconstruction. I can in all honesty say that I experienced very little pain as such. Discomfort, yes...especially when moving about the bed to turn from side to side, (can't sleep on my back at all), and sitting up for meals and so on. The drains with their tubes were a pain in the bum, but were not painful for me. I had one dose of endone at the nurse's insistance, which then made me vomit terribly. That caused me pain...the heaving and retching, but once they stopped that with an injection, the puking, the pain settled fast.  Other than the occasional paracetemol thereafter, all was well pain wise. The more you move, the more you can move and the exercises you will be given are vital. Others experience a good deal of pain, but the nurses will keep you well covered if you need stronger meds. I expect you might fall somewhere in between in this regard. Don't try to be a hero and ask for help when you need it. Sending you the biggest cyber (((hug))) and hope you get some sleep tonight. Ally.